Capital Markets & Securities Law Watch

Yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted new rules of significance for both private securities offerings and mandatory public company disclosures, in line with key SEC policy initiatives. 

International events, such as Brexit and the 2007 global recession, often drive SEC disclosures by public companies, and the disease known as COVID-19 (the “Coronavirus”) is proving to be no exception. On March 4, the SEC advised all public companies to assess what the Coronavirus means for their future operations and financial results and to make appropriate disclosures to their shareholders and other members of the investment community.

As of February 14, 2020, COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, has infected over 64,000 people in at least 24 countries and caused 1,384 deaths, mostly in mainland China. In response, governments around the world have instituted quarantines, closed or restricted border crossings, and limited the ability of goods and people to move freely around the world.